Hallie and the Broken Ghost by Nadine Holland

Book Summary

Hallie Collins is moving again, but the new house hides more than mould and maggoty this new living arrangement comes with an unexpected resident – a broken ghost, who's not your typical, spooky apparition. Instead of spine-chilling scares, this spectral presence is accompanied by nervous farts, rendering his haunting attempts hilariously unsuccessful.

Hallie is determined to help her new spooky sidekick, and so begins an extensive training programme to hopefully alleviate this unique condition. Little does she know, however, that beneath the cellar of her new home lies a buried secret waiting to be unearthed; a treasure which attracts the attention of a devious archaeologist with a penchant for arson, threatening not only Hallie but everything she holds dear.

In order to foil the machinations of this despicable foe, Hallie comes up with a dangerous plan that will rely on fixing her newfound friend. But Hallie will stop at nothing to help her unlikely new companion and uncover the truth – even if it turns her world to ashes.

I couldn't help sympathising with Hallie right from the start. She's already going through so much, having to move house yet again, losing her friends and familiar life. But then she still tries to cheer herself up to make her mum feel less guilty!

Hallie is so brave and caring, and I did find it very refreshing to have a heroine who actually realises the dangers and doesn't just assume she can do everything. Particularly as the villain of the story is so creepy and diabolical. I was quite surprised how he managed to wrangle his way in and was not impressed at all with how oblivious Hallie's mother was. What would she do without Hallie to save the day???

I really enjoyed this gripping adventure. I was on the edge of my seat hoping that Hallie would be victorious, and it had such a sweet, touching ending that I did not expect at all.

Author Bio

Nadine grew up in Devon in the era of leg warmers, cassette tapes and scary public information adverts. The world baffled her a bit and so she preferred to bury her nose in books and one day dreamt of becoming a writer herself – mostly so that she would finally know enough words to beat her Grandad at Scrabble.

However, life had other ideas, and Nadine became a secondary school art teacher instead; where she has spent well over a decade promoting exploration, creativity, and trying (and failing) not to get paint on her clothes.

After her daughter was born, Nadine was drawn to the vibrant and playful world of picture books, and although she had dabbled in poetry, blogging, and flash fiction, it was in children’s literature that she finally found a home for her unquenchable urge to write.

Nadine writes smart and funny rhyming picture books and middle grade novels that explore themes of the paranormal, mythology, and folk lore; because that’s what she was obsessed with growing up. She hopes to inspire the next generation of curious children who dream of things that exist beyond the normal.

She lives in Gloucestershire, surrounded by magical hills and ancient forests, where she lives with her husband, her daughter, two silly cats, and a dog with giant ears.

To make a Green Ghost cocktail, add the following to a shaker with ice - 40ml gin, 10ml Green Chartreuse, 10ml lime juice and a dash of sugar syrup. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass... delicious!

Spotlight on...
The Legendary Mo Seto by A. Y. Chan

Book Summary 

Mo Seto, martial arts movie star! Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? If only there wasn't a height restriction to audition. But 12-year-old Modesty (Mo) Seto has never let her height get in the way before, not when she became a black belt, or when she fought the meanest boy in her class, and she's not going to let it stop her this time! Now if only she can figure out a way to grow five inches and fool everyone at the auditions... Join Mo on an adventure (and audition) of a lifetime and find out if powerful things really do come in small packages!

Author Bio

A.Y. Chan is the author of The Legendary Mo Seto, a story about a 12-year-old female martial artist who auditions for a movie role opposite her favorite martial arts movie hero—only to find out she's too small for the role. Growing up in Canada's Greater Toronto Area, A.Y. read all the middle grade and young adult books she could get her hands on. To this day, those remain her favorite genres. After achieving her black belt in Taekwondo, she explored a range of other types of martial arts, and she draws upon her experiences in learning new techniques and philosophies to inspire her writing. These days, she continues her martial arts training some mornings, writes in the afternoons, takes long walks to muddle out plot points, and falls asleep reading.

Why I wrote this book:

I started training in taekwondo when I was six and, growing up, I longed to read books about kick-butt girls doing kick-butt things, but there really weren't as many as I had hoped for. The idea for this book has been percolating in my head ever since. I wish to inspire kids not only to be brave and never give up, but also to be proud of who they are.

My inspiration for my story came from a real city-wide competition, where, like Mo, my protagonist, I faced off against a bigger, stronger boy during the final match. At that time, pairings were determined by belt-level and age, not by weight class. I ended up losing. I remember feeling so crushed by my second-place finish, and I kept replaying the fight in my head, wondering what I could have done differently.

I was also inspired by martial arts movies—especially the stunt actors and body doubles, and the thugs in the background serving as punching bags for the protagonist. As an introvert, I never wanted to be the main character...but to get beat up by the main character? That seemed awesome. After achieving my black belt in Taekwondo, I explored other types of martial arts and came away with an appreciation for the similarities and differences in the different forms, and how each has a unique philosophy linking the physical to the mental (and spiritual). Martial arts is about discipline and practice, but it's also about respect (for oneself and for others) and integrity. And, of course, indomitable spirit, the all-encompassing light within us all that shines with determination and hope and an unshakable optimism for a brighter tomorrow.

Best,

A.Y.

The Couple on Holiday by Mikayla Davids

Book Summary

You married him. But can you trust him with your life?

Standing on the balcony of our gorgeous villa, I gaze out at the turquoise sea and drink in the white-sand beach and palm trees. I’m in paradise with my new husband, Owen, by my side and my life couldn’t be more perfect. I can’t imagine that anything bad could ever happen, here on this beautiful island… 

It all sounds so idyllic at the start. The two newlyweds seem absolutely happy, honeymooning at the gorgeous private family island. Gradually, though, some cracks begin to show in the perfection and both main characters are wondering how well they really know each other and if they rushed into the marriage. They both seem genuine but as I read I did start to wonder if one of them might be less than trustworthy. The great narrators really sold the characters to me.

This was such a gripping thriller, I had no idea who the killer would be. I almost binged it all in one sitting. Despite the satisfying conclusion, the very end is a little sinister and seems to be setting up for a possible sequel???

I've made a Holiday Margarita to sip on while listening to this book. In a shaker, add the following ingredients - 40ml tequila, 10ml limoncello, 20ml pomegranate juice, 10ml lime juice, 10ml mandarin juice, 5ml agave syrup. shake with ice then strain into an ice filled tumbler.